Nothing to Tear Us Apart
by o0vicarious-living0o
Summary: Naraku is gone, but a new friend decides to make an appearance, as well as a new foe... And he's a dragon youkai? And they both seem to want me? Kagome POV. Rated M for language, sexual themes, possible non-con and violence.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi, guys! I'm back, and I've got another project. I always wanted to write an Inuyasha fanfic and I thought now was the time to do it. I will try to not make the characters too OOC, however, this is slightly AU. In this universe, dragon demons had never been encountered before.**_

_***All recognizable characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. All other characters are made up but they are still mine.**_

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Lying back on my bed in modern Japan, I stared at the ceiling as I thought about my graduation from high school the previous day. My graduation prompted the long-awaited argument I knew I was going to have with my mother and grandfather, mostly my grandfather. They had been dropping the subtle hints about applications and college fairs for the previous few months, hoping I would decide to further my education past high school. Sadly for them (and me, in retrospect), I really had no intentions of seeking higher education – at least not in our era.

As much as I was sure I would enjoy university, I knew it would take me far, far away from my true home, which rested on the other side of the well.

All of my friends, my true companions and allies, were expecting me back that evening. Shippou, who had all but adopted me as his mother, had grown into a fine young kitsune youkai, but he would still become so upset when I would wait too long to return to the feudal era. Sango and Miroku would be waiting as well, hoping for their sister's safe return. Though there was no blood between any of us, we were closer than any family that blood could bind.

And then there was Inuyasha.

Since Naraku's defeat, the hanyou had become restless, looking for any and everything he could possibly do to keep from slowing down. The only time he would bother to pause was when he knew I was coming home, that way he could sit at the well and anticipate my return.

Home. It was a strange sensation knowing that I considered a village many years in the past as to be more of a home to me than my actual place in modern Japan. As much as I love my mother, brother and grandfather, they just weren't anything near to what I had on the other side of that magical well.

Glancing to my side at the clock on my nightstand, I sighed as I realized I needed to be going soon. I wished so much to sidestep Mom and Grandpa's questions about university, but I couldn't just leave for two weeks without saying goodbye. Rolling over and sitting up, I grabbed my already over-filled pack from the floor and slung it onto my back, grunting slightly at the weight.

It was heavy, but I had developed some very fine-tuned muscles in my time fighting demons and running from death, which made me much stronger than I used to be. My miko powers had grown exponentially as well, and Lady Kaede had been kind enough to help me with training. It eventually came to the point that I no longer needed my bow to expel my purifying energy, though I still used it to avoid hand-to-hand. I may have been powerful, but I wasn't a skilled fighter nor a fool.

Yes, life was much simpler after Naraku's death.

Tromping down the stairs to meet my grandfather and mother at the door, I smiled nervously, hoping they wouldn't say anything.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Grandpa," I said sweetly, bowing slightly. "I was just about to leave. I wanted to see you beforehand."

My mother was handling a bag of groceries, to which I saw Souta run up and grab, taking them into the kitchen. My little brother had grown very much as well, but he was still a boy at heart. He loved his family.

"About to leave?" Grandpa started in. "You still got thirty applications to go through, missy! And you'll be lucky if any of them take you this late already."

"Kagome," my mother stepped in. "Are you sure you don't want to consider university? It will open so many opportunities for you."

"Mama, Grandpa," I said exasperatedly. "Please understand when I say this – As of _right now, _I have _no intentions _of going to college_._ If anything, I deserve a semester or two of break." I cringed inwardly at the pleading sound I could hear in my voice. "It's not a no. I just haven't made up my mind yet, and it's not as if those universities won't be there in a year or two. I just want to relax for a bit. I have spent the last few years of my life juggling monsters and demons along with homework and tests. I'm _tired_."

My grandfather could only "Humph!" at me, but my mother gave me her beautiful, caring smile as always and said, "I suppose you're right. I wouldn't want your future to disappear, but I think a break will do you some good. Just put some thought into it, Kagome. Maybe you'll feel differently in a year or so."

"Maybe," I said, glad that they were accepting a temporary compromise. "Well, I gotta get going. You know Inuyasha. If I'm not back when I say I'll be, he'll come looking for me."

"Go ahead dear," Mom said, leaning forward and giving me a gentle hug. "Please be careful. And just ignore your grandfather. He'll sit down for his crime shows and forget all about it."

"Love you, Mama," I said, kissing her on the cheek and leaning down to give one to Grandpa. He took it begrudgingly, mumbling about 'consorting with demons' or something of the like. Before I could even turn and call for Souta, he was already in the room and wrapped around me, swinging me around and picking me up from the ground. Though he was much younger than me, he had our father's build which made his growth spurt turn him into a giant.

"Be careful, sis," he said, backing away from me. "Come back soon."

"I'll be back in a couple of weeks," I said, smiling. "Give Buyo a hug for me. Love you guys!"

With that, I turned and strolled out the door, making my way to the well-house and down the few steps in the shack. Looking down briefly at the well, I took a small breath and jumped in, letting the bright blue lights surround me.

"It's about time, wench," I heard from the other side of the well as I climbed the ladder up.

"It would go faster if you would carry me up rather than wait for me to climb a ladder with a hundred pound bag, baka," I said, settling into Inuyasha and mine's normal, scathing routine. Heaving my bag over the edge, I let out a groan as I pulled myself over the edge as well, allowing myself to roll into the grass and onto my back. The sky was so clear, I almost wanted to stay for a moment just to enjoy it. Unfortunately, I had a very impatient hanyou waiting on me.

Looking over, I watched as Inuyasha picked my pack up as though it were filled with feathers and turned to look at me. "Hurry up. The runt is driving me crazy."

Picking myself up from the ground and dusting off my black pleated skirt and red blouse (since I had graduated, I saw no point in wearing my uniform anymore), I said, "Shippou is hardly a runt anymore, Inuyasha. He's almost as tall as I am now."

"Heh, well that's not saying much," he scoffed, leaning low in signal for me to get on his back. His insult didn't hurt, because I knew that's just how he was. It had become such a normal routine that I didn't even question it anymore.

Straddling his back, the two of us took off towards the village at maximum speed, with Inuyasha dodging trees and brush with impeccable precision that only a youkai could accomplish.

It didn't bother me one bit that he was hanyou. Demons were fascinating creatures, but they could be very volatile. With Inuyasha, his human side helped keep his youkai in check, which made him the perfect mixture of fascinating and trustworthy.

Inuyasha began to slow, so I knew we were almost into the village. Next to Kaede's hut were two other huts, which Miroku and Inuyasha had built as a bit of temporary space for the group to stay. For the sake of modesty and propriety, Sango and I slept in one hut with Kirara while the guys slept in the other. Once Shippou had reached the age for breeding, Inuyasha and Miroku had to explain to him why it was inappropriate for him to continue snuggling up to me at night. As much as I missed my little fluffy kitsune son sleeping beside me, I knew it was wrong to allow it.

As Inuyasha let me down, I heard the slight baritone of Shippou's now-almost-grown voice, "Kagome!" I wasn't sure where he was and I never found out because he immediately had me in his arms as he gave me a bear hug. "Kagome! I'm so glad you're back! I missed you so much!"  
"I missed you too, Shippou," I said, smiling warmly at him. It didn't seem like it had been all that long since we had rescued him after his parents had left him an orphan, and then suddenly he's almost a grown fox demon with strength and power of his own.

"So how did your crabulation go? Was it fun?" he asked eagerly, still the innocent kitsune I was sure I would always remember him to be.

"Grad-yoo-ay-shun," I enunciated for him. I had recently taken to teaching him basic Japanese along with reading and writing. When I tried to show him math, I thought he was going to implode on himself. He despised it. "And it went great. I got my diploma, but sitting and waiting was horribly boring."

"So your diploma means you can go to the big school now, right?" Shippou asked, finally setting me down from his hug. I could see Inuyasha out of the corner of my eye, giving Shippou a slightly dirty look.

"Yes, it sure does," I confirmed, nodding as I grabbed my bag from Inuyasha and set it inside the girl's hut. I noted that the hut was empty.

"A-Are you gonna go?" Shippou asked nervously, cutting Inuyasha off from whatever he was about to say.

The question seemed to make any irritation Inuyasha had for the kitsune disappear as he became intrigued by the question as well. The two of them looked at me expectantly.

Clearing my throat, I said shakily, "Um, I'm not sure. I don't think I will be this coming year, but unless something happens that makes me stay here, I may go back to finish my education. I mean, if things don't work out like they have been, I need something to fall back on in _my_ time."

"What are you talking about?" Shippou asked cheekily, once again cutting Inuyasha off. Wrapping his arms around me again, he continued, "Things will work out. Even if Inuyasha isn't around, you'll still have me. I'll protect you."

Laughing softly at my adopted kitsune, I made him release me as I said, "I know you will, but things happen. The future isn't certain. You should know that by now." On the inside, I was screaming at the thought of possibly losing Inuyasha.

"Alright, that's enough," Inuyasha said gruffly. Raising his voice, he said loudly, "If there's anyone else who wants to greet Kagome, now's the time to do it!"

I wasn't sure what he was shouting for until a moment later when Sango and Miroku emerged from the guys' hut, both looking out of breath and slightly disheveled. I blushed a little at their appearance, knowing what they had been doing. Sango told me about their "endeavors," even though they had never actually gone further than heavy petting. The two of them both wished to wait until after they were married, which wouldn't occur for another month.

"Kagome, I'm so glad you're back!" Sango said, trying to even out her breathing. Giving me a hug, she backed away to allow Miroku to greet me.

"Kagome, I hope you enjoyed your visit," Miroku came in, hugging me as well. His hand barely made it two centimeters down my back before Sango cracked him over the head with her fist.

"Lech!" she growled, grabbing him by the neck of his robes and pulling him away.

While Miroku backed away, I saw Lady Kaede emerge from her hut, walking with her staff as usual. "Good evenin', Kagome. I hope ye travel went well."

"Yes, Lady Kaede," I smiled at the old woman. "I won't have to leave unexpectedly anymore for a while. I was hoping we could catch up more on training my powers so we can still help villages in need."

"Yes, of course, child. Just because Naraku is gone does not mean there is no evil afoot. We can start more training tomorrow morning if ye wish."

"Sounds good," I said brightly, bowing slightly to her. Turning to Inuyasha, I said, "So, wanna go for a walk?"

After the defeat of Naraku, neither Inuyasha or I would bring up our feelings for one another. I knew in my very heart and soul that he was the one for me, but I couldn't speak for him. But words weren't needed where Inuyasha was concerned. He let his actions speak for him. The way he protected me at all costs, even with his life. The way he would do whatever I asked of him, despite the grumbles I could hear as he did so begrudgingly. He had even started building me a hut a small ways into the forest right near the bone-eater's well, just so I would be more comfortable and have my own space. The hut wasn't finished, but it was a nice bit bigger than most huts and he was making it rather lavish. When I asked why, he just mumbled something about 'being bored' and continued his work on it.

As Inuyasha and I walked through the forest towards the well in silence, I looked up at the sky and watched the trees and leaves go by. It was a beautiful sunny day, but the late evening had the sun going down, leaving the sky a pink and orange hue with a bare hint of blue streaked through it. It was beautiful.

When I realized we had reached the house Inuyasha was building, I noticed immediately that there were trees removed and an area cleared just a few yards away from where my hut was being built.

"Inuyasha, what have you been doing while I was gone?" I asked in a surprised tone. Setting my bow and quiver on the ground (which I kept on me at all times, looking for any opportunity to put my powers to good use), I walked forward towards the cleared trees. Looking at the ground, I suddenly understood what he was doing.

"Are you building another house here?" I asked, turning to look at him.

The silver-haired hanyou had his back turned to me, but I could still see redness around his neck. The way his hair flowed with the wind, his adorable ears twitching every which-way at the tiny, almost imperceptible sounds around us. I was speechless as I took in his beauty. When I cleared my throat to bring his attention to my question, his ears both turned in my direction, forcing him to reluctantly face me. His piercing golden eyes held my gaze for a moment, stealing my breath away.

"I..." he hesitated, beating around the bush like he always did when he was embarrassed or irritated. "I'm gonna build my hut next to yours. You know, to keep you safe. The Jewel is whole again, and you're its protector." Thinking for another second, he added, "And I'm _your_ protector. So it only makes sense that I be nearby to you. You're so damn clumsy that any demon could just come in here and just snatch the both of you."

"Inuyasha," I said softly, feeling the familiar warmth he gave me when he showed how much he cared about me. I knew he was trying to hide it behind the Jewel excuse, but I knew that he never slept if I wasn't around. It made him crazy not knowing if I was alright.

My relationship with him confused me, to be honest. As much as I was certain of my feelings for him, and all the signals he gave me that let me know he felt the same, neither of us could ever bring ourselves to say anything about it. It had been a while since Naraku's defeat, and I thought for sure we would end up together with Kikyo gone, but... Maybe I had been mistaken. Maybe he was kind to me simply for the years of companionship. Maybe he didn't care for me as much as I thought he did. Maybe...

Maybe I was just crazy and looking too heavily into it. Regardless, I swallowed my feelings and acted as though nothing were different. I was happy just to be by his side, and that was all that mattered to me.

Scoffing, Inuyasha turned to face my almost-finished hut and said, "Your hut will be finished by tomorrow. I just gotta put the overhang on the porch and it'll be done."

"A porch?" I asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah, wench, a porch. Are you deaf or something?" I couldn't help but notice that he was being a bit more abrasive than usual, which meant something was bothering him.

"Inuyasha, is something wrong?" I asked, stepping forward and lightly putting my hand on his arm. His golden orbs turned and settled on my gaze, looking unsure which also made him look agitated.

He didn't say anything for a moment, just held my gaze as the light wind rustled through the trees around us. After a minute or two, he opened his mouth to say something but was cut short.

" – Help! Help me please!"

Both of us whipped our heads in the direction of the screaming. I could feel something coming closer, and I was almost certain it was a demon. The screaming, however, was definitely a human male.

Picking up my bow and quiver from the ground, I turned back around in time to see Inuyasha swoop in front of my and place me on his back. Taking off at full speed, Inuyasha sprinted through the trees and brush, drawing Tetsusaiga to cut down some of the larger obstacles. I could feel the demonic energy almost right upon us, so I screamed out, "Inuyasha, there!"

Pointing to a clearing that had a river flowing through it, I could see a young man, probably around my age, running as fast as he could just south of our direction. Not far away on his heels was a demon that was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

His skin was of iridescent black, but it looked as though it were made of woven stone weaving all over his humanoid body. Two sets of curled horns sat atop his head, where a mask of white bone was molded around the double set of eyes he possessed, one pair sitting an inch above the other. The hair that grew out thick around the horns was long and violet in color. His large jaw was the only other feature I could discern because of his mask, but he terrified me, nonetheless.

Inuyasha set me down, readying Tetsusaiga to launch forward in attack.

"Wait!" I said, grabbing him before he could leap into action. Removing my bow from my shoulder, I grabbed an arrow from my quiver and took aim. The demon was still focused on chasing the young man and had yet to see us, so I let my arrow fly.

Seemingly sensing it, the demon faced the arrow and skirted it at the last split-second. The purifying energy sizzled past him, slightly burning him as it imbedded itself into the ground behind him. And then suddenly his eyes were on me.

Not looking him in the eye, I notched another arrow and took aim. "Not another step or you're done for!" I yelled out. I could feel Inuyasha beside me, anxious and fidgety to destroy whatever that demon was.

The young man that had been chased was finally nowhere to be seen, so it was just Inuyasha, me and the horrifying monster a few yards from us. From just below the monster's bone mask, I could see his mouth form a smirk.

"I do love mikos. Their purifying energy always gives me such a rush."

I was speechless at that. What did he mean? I saw where the energy burned him! Why would he enjoy that?!

The youkai's comment didn't seem to settle well with Inuyasha, however, because he was suddenly running full force at the demon, raising Tetsusaiga as he came within range of the demon.

"Wind scar!" he shouted, bringing his blade down and allowing the energy to tear through the earth and air. As the dust and dirt settled, we looked around quickly for the demon, hoping he had been in the direct path of Inuyasha's attack.

My scream was cut short as I suddenly felt a hand around the back of my neck, picking me up from the ground as I grappled weakly at the steel grip on my throat.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, running forward.

The demon held his other hand to the front of my throat threateningly. "Ah, now hold on," he said with a sneer. "One more step, hanyou, and your little miko here will suddenly have a broken neck."

"Th-that's what you... think," I managed to gasp out as I focused my energy. Feeling my aura grow stronger, I released the pure energy from within and made a small purifying bomb, exploding outward about five feet.

That seemed to do the trick as the demon dropped me, landing me roughly on the rocky terrain as I bruised and scraped my face, arms and legs on the harsh gravel.

Turning over, I watched as the demon stumbled back a couple of feet. What surprised me was he was definitely supposed to be dead after purifying him, not acting like he just got kicked in the shin. At least it stunned him long enough for Inuyasha to get between me and the demon with the devil horns.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked roughly. "Who the fuck do you think you are coming into my territory?"

Territory? I wasn't sure what he meant, but I assumed it was the Inu side of him that had claimed the village and forest as his own.

The demon smirked, quirking the corner of his mouth up in amusement. "I am Ryuu."

I saw Inuyasha tense in front of me, which sent up red flags in my mind. It took a powerful enemy to keep Inuyasha from running his overly-confident mouth, but it took an even more-so powerful demon to cause Inuyasha to hesitate just from a name.

Seeming to regain his composure a little, Inuyasha finally said, "What's a dragon youkai doing here? You're supposed to stay to the Southern lands!"

I felt surprise course through me. A dragon demon? A low rumble resonated from deep within Ryuu's chest, but his aura didn't flare. He had no intentions of fighting us. He was just toying with us.

"That agreement was made between my father and the Lord of the Western lands. I have no obligation to honor it," Ryuu said simply. Looking at me once more, I saw all four of his eyes widen briefly.

"You're obligated to honor it if Sesshomaru finds out you're out of your cage! – "

The youkai didn't seem to listen as he fixated closely on me. Cutting off Inuyasha, he said, "Ah, the Shikon no Tama." His violet eyes almost seemed to sparkle as he gazed longingly at the jewel I was clutching against my chest. "My apologies, miko. I was unaware you were the keeper of the Jewel."

"Yeah, well it means nothing to you so either be on your way or I'll send you away in pieces!" Inuyasha growled out, making sure to block me from Ryuu's gaze.

Laughing under his breath once more, royal purple wings the size of parachutes burst from his back as the demon surged sharply into the sky. "We will not fight today, half-breed, but rest assured, we _will_ meet again!"

With that, the demon took off, his youkai speed too fast for my human eyesight. It was only a moment before I could no longer feel his energy.

"What the _fuck_!" Inuyasha yelled out, slamming Tetsusaiga to the ground out of anger. "Since when were those flying lizards allowed out of their lands?!"

I could tell it was a rhetorical question, because I hadn't any idea about dragon youkai or their apparent exile. The way it was making Inuyasha react, however, had me very concerned.

"Inuyasha," I said softly, picking myself up from the ground and dusting myself off. Inuyasha seemed to come to his senses, because he was immediately by my side, checking my scrapes and bruises.

"You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, looking as if I were hiding worse injuries. He looked at my neck and cringed as I'm sure there were bruises coming up. "I can't believe I let that bastard get his hands on you!"

"Inuyasha, I'm fine," I said lightly, using all of my willpower to not rub my now-sore neck. "He's gone. Let's just... Let's just go back to the village. We need to make sure that man the demon was chasing is okay."

"Feh," was Inuyasha's response, sheathing Tetsusaiga. "It's a miracle that scrawny human made it anywhere. Dragon youkai are vicious and fast. I think our new friend Ryuu likes to play with his meals."

I scrunched my nose up at that but didn't say anything as I hopped on Inuyasha's back.

The trip back to the village only took a few minutes. We weren't surprised when we arrived to Kaede's cabin to see her inside, hovering over the man and asking him questions.

"Lady Kaede, is everything alright?" I asked, stepping forward to get a better look at the man. Inuyasha, however, remained on guard, stopping me from getting closer than necessary to the guy.

Kaede looked up and saw Inuyasha and me. She blinked with her one eye and nodded. "Indeed, he will be fine. Ye know him?"

I nodded as Inuyasha spat, "No!"

Covering my face to regain my composure, I lifted my head after a moment and said, "Kind of."

That was when I finally head a new voice, which belonged to the stranger. He had the musical voice of a singer. "She and the hanyou distracted a youkai long enough for me to get away."

Looking around Kaede, I finally could see the man properly as he stood from his spot on the floor. There was a bandage covering his forearm, but he didn't seem to be injured further than that. His black hair was long, almost as long as mine, except it was pulled back into a hair tie low at the base of his neck. He had thin eyebrows and a rather pronounced Adam's Apple. He stood shorter than Inuyasha but was taller than me by a couple of inches. He was wearing a traditional forest green yukata that was adorned with black filigree. A black sash was tied tightly around his waist.

In all honesty, his state of dress suggested that he was someone important. But once I locked eyes with him, those thoughts flew out the window. They were such a crystalline blue that it was hard to imagine anyone possibly possessing such striking orbs. I still preferred Inuyasha's golden-hued eyes, but this man was nothing if not handsome.

"Uhm," I said, trying to clear my throat to talk. "Hello." I had to drag my gaze away from his eyes just to speak properly. "We came back to make sure you're alright."

The man smiled, which I was sure would have been incredibly charming if I had the nerve to directly look at him. "Yes, I only received a minor scratch in my haste to run away. I thought for sure I was going to be that demon's lunch. Thank you so much for stopping him. Are you and your companion okay? Is that demon dead?"

I only heard a "hmph!" from Inuyasha, so I said, "We're fine. Unfortunately, we didn't get the chance to do anything with him. Once he realized who we were, he took off. We'll see him again, for sure."

"Oh, that's not good," the man said, casting his gaze downward once he realized I refused to look him in the eye. "Oh, damn, where are my manners?"

Taking my hand and looking at me once more (to which I couldn't help but look right back), the man said, "Forgive me. My name is Aiko. I am the son of Kaito, the Village Chief of Choshi."

Trying to keep myself from stammering as I looked at his beautiful eyes, I said, "O-oh, I'm Kagome. And... And this is Inuyasha." I quickly brought myself back to my senses as I gestured towards the seething hanyou.

"It's very nice to meet you both. I cannot thank you enough for your aid," Aiko said humbly, bowing to the both of us. "I'm sure my father would be more than willing to pay you for your services in protecting me – "

Inuyasha suddenly growled out, "We'll only take payment once that bastard is dead."

Aiko looked at me nervously, obviously uncomfortable with Inuyasha's hostility.

"Inuyasha," I said, getting his attention. "Why are you being so rude? He's trying to thank us."

Looking from me, to Aiko, then back to me, Inuyasha spat, "Come on, wench. We need to talk."

"Don't call her a wench, half-breed," Aiko said boldly, tensing as though expecting a fight. "Lady Kagome deserves much more respect than that."

"Let it go, Aiko," I said softly, turning to face Inuyasha and grabbing him by the neck of his haori. "He doesn't mean anything by it. Come on, Inuyasha."

I could feel the muscles in Inuyasha straining to not choke the man in the green yukata, but he yielded to my touch as I led him outside. Before I could say anything, Inuyasha had me swept up in his arms and was rushing through the trees, obviously going back to the hut he was building for me.

Once we came to a halt on the inside of my unfinished (but may as well have been finished) hut, he basically just dropped me down onto a stack of throw pillows.

"What the hell was that, wench?" he immediately started in, pacing the floor in front of me. "Since when do you get all weird and wispy at the sight of another man?"

"Wispy?" I asked, trying to not let him see my amusement at his jealousy. "I was not being weird and wispy! I'll admit, he _is_ attractive, and there's something about his eyes... But no. He was just a stranger in need. I'm sure Aiko was just passing through back to Choshi."

"Yeah, well, I don't like the whelp," Inuyasha growled, flopping down onto another stack of decorative pillows. "He seemed much more interested in you than he was showing."

"Whatever, Inuyasha, just let it go. Now, is that all we needed to talk about?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest.

"No," Inuyasha chided quickly. "We still have a major problem with Ryuu."

That perked me up to the conversation some more. "What about him?"

Gritting his teeth, Inuyasha said, "Never once has a demon as powerful as him ever come across the Jewel and not try to take it, with the exception of Sesshomaru. He said he was going to be back, so we need to prepare."

"How are we going to do that?" I asked, sitting up and tucking my legs beneath me. "I don't know anything about _dragon_ demons. The only thing I know is that my purifying energy only shocked him. It didn't seem to hurt him at all."

"That's because a doragon youkai's skin is naturally repellant. It would only harm him if he's badly injured," Inuyasha said, also sitting forward. He looked worried, which made me worried.

"Wh... Why were the dragon demons exiled to the southern lands?" I ask, curious about our new foe.

"I'm not sure," Inuyasha spat, looking into the dead fire-pit in thought. "I just know that Sesshomaru said our father didn't trust them, so he gave them their own portion of land to stay. They weren't supposed to leave their designated land."

"And they just did what your father said?" I asked, not believing that any youkai would comply to any such demand.

"Heh," Inuyasha smirked, his fang overlapping his lip, giving him the cutest smile. "Of course not. Kichirou was determined to do what he pleased. He and my father fought, which led to Kichirou's compliance."

"Inu no Taisho didn't kill him?" I hadn't realized how much closer I had gotten to Inuyasha. We were only a foot apart by that point.

"He almost did. Instead, he made Kichirou promise to stay in their Southern territory." Inuyasha was slowly inching closer towards me as well.

The two of us seemed to gravitate to each other like magnets. As Inuyasha talked more about the dragon demons and their exile, I felt my eyes grow heavy as I leaned against Inuyasha. Expelling so much miko energy was very exhausting.

I was asleep before Inuyasha finished speaking of the doragon youkai.

* * *

_**Please R&amp;R so I know if this is worth continuing.**_


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke to the sounds of laughter outside. Opening my eyes, I realized I had been sleeping on my cot in the girls' hut rather than my hut where I had fallen asleep. The hut was empty with the exception of Kirara, who was in the corner batting around a ball of twine. Rubbing my eyes and sitting up, I stretched as I listened to the faint laughter continue outside. It sounded like Shippou, which wasn't unusual. He was a generally happy kitsune.

Standing up and straightening my clothes, I located my bag and removed my toiletries from it, ready to head to the stream for a bath. When Kirara realized I was up, she immediately pranced out the door, more than likely straight to Sango. Following the tiny neko youkai out of the hut, I squinted as the bright light of day bombarded my senses. The sun was shining brightly, but I could see clouds moving in from the west that could have meant storms soon.

Walking down the stairs and across the field, I could see where Shippou was playing with the other teenage villagers behind Kaede's hut. I couldn't see Inuyasha, Sango or Miroku anywhere, but I assumed they were off working on their projects. Miroku and Sango had followed Inuyasha's lead and were building a hut of their own, only theirs was in the middle of the village, where Miroku could serve the villagers with his skills as a monk. Their building was going at a much slower pace than Inuyasha's due to their lack of youkai strength, but it would be finished before their union, which was all that mattered to them.

Smiling to myself as I thought of how happy they would be together, I continued on my trek to the river. It was a warm day, so I figured a cold bath wouldn't bother me too much. I enjoyed the walk through the Cherry Blossoms as I reached a more secluded part of the river to bathe in.

Taking off my clothes, I didn't waste any time before submerging myself in the frigid water. Grabbing my toiletries from the boulder that rested in the water, I started the luxurious part of bathing, beginning with my hair. I hummed quietly to myself as I mostly listened to the sounds of the waterfall mingling with the rustling of trees and buzz of small creatures and wildlife. As I gently massaged the shampoo into my hair, I closed my eyes and let my senses take over.

And that's when I felt him.

"Aiko!" I screamed out, ducking myself down into the water fully to cover myself. Only a couple of feet into the shade of the trees, I could see his blue eyes shining as he realized he was busted. "What are you doing?!"

I saw Aiko cower down into a bow, "My apologies, Lady Kagome! I – I was coming to wash my cloak and I saw you – I just couldn't... You were quite a sight." Instead of backing away, the man only came closer to the river's bank, leaving the shadows of the trees. I felt my face turn red as I scowled. Where was this man's decency?

Looking at me with those shining blue eyes, he finally said simply, "You're a very beautiful woman, Kagome."

I felt my breath hitch in my throat, and it took nearly a full five seconds to react.

"INUYASHA!"

I watched the blood drain from Aiko's face as he stuttered out quietly, "P-please, I meant no offense – I don't know what came over me – "

Aiko didn't get to finish his argument as his speech was cut off by a clawed hand around his throat. With ease, Inuyasha slammed Aiko into the nearest tree, pinning the obviously terrified man. With a dangerous growl rumbling from his chest, Inuyasha snarled, "What the fuck do you think you're doing you fucking lech!?"

Grappling uselessly at the hanyou's grip on his throat, Aiko barely managed to gasp out, "I'm... Sorry... Please..."

"Inuyasha, don't kill him!" I called out, still submerged in the river for modesty. "Please, let him go!"

With a frustrated scowl, Inuyasha relinquished his hold on Aiko's neck, but he didn't let him go. Baring his teeth, he ground out, "You have the manners of a common animal! You're lucky you're just a human or I'd rip you to shreds!"

Narrowing his eyes, Aiko say coolly, "You talk of me acting like an animal but you're the hanyou who just threatened to rip me to shreds. Pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?"

Grabbing the front of Aiko's kimono, Inuyasha pulled him forward until their faces were nearly an inch apart. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "Kagome is the most important thing in the world right now and _I'm_ her protector, so the rules don't apply to me here. You don't come anywhere near her. You do not talk to her, and you definitely _do not_ peep on her bathing like a lecher. _In fact_, I think it would be _best_ if you just disappeared altogether, back to Choshi where you came from."

Aiko opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to form words. Finally, he settled for bold and responded strongly, "You hold no power over me, hanyou. You kill me, and my father will rain war down upon your village."

Tossing Aiko to the ground with a scoff, Inuyasha said, "I don't need to kill you to hold power over you. Now get the hell out of here and don't come back!"

Aiko stood, trying to maintain a look of dignity as he brushed himself off. Bowing to me, Aiko said, "Lady Kagome, I apologize for my rudeness, and still express my gratitude towards you and your... " He hesitated as he glanced to Inuyasha nervously. "Companion for saving me from that youkai. I will take my leave, now."

Both Inuyasha and I watched carefully as Aiko deserted the area. My hair was still loaded with bubbles and the river seemed to only get colder by the minute. Once we were sure Aiko was gone, Inuyasha (with his head turned modestly) said, "I'll be right inside the trees. Finish your bath and we'll head back to the village."

I could only nod, though he wasn't looking at me as he strolled towards the treeline.

'_Wow_,' I thought to myself. '_That man really had some nerve. And Inuyasha handled it... without hurting the guy? Weird_.'

Once I was fully cleaned, dried and dressed, I found Inuyasha high up in a tree only a few yards inside the treeline. Once he noticed me, he immediately jumped down and slung me onto his back, taking off with his hanyou speed. It only took a couple of minutes for us to reach the village, where we were met with Miroku and Sango, resting in the shade of the tree next to each other.

"Hello, Kagome," Sango said enthusiastically, patting the ground on the other side of her for me to sit. The demon slayer looked tired but happy, nonetheless.

"Hey guys," I greeted them, setting my pack on the ground and sitting next to Sango. "Hard day working on your hut?"

"Yes," Miroku sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. "But it will definitely be finished before the ceremony, so that's all that matters."

I could see Miroku's lecherous hand creep towards Sango's backside, but she was quick on the draw and cracked the monk over the head with her fist. Still, I could see the blush creeping to her cheeks.

"Did that pompous human _prince_ come through here?" Inuyasha asked irritably, looking around.

"We haven't seen him," Sango replied simply, noting Inuyasha's tension. "Why? Did something happen?"

Inuyasha growled loudly, almost a snarl, so I cut in to explain. "I caught Aiko spying on me while I was bathing. Inuyasha told him to leave."

"Oh dear gods," Sango gasped, her smile turning into a scowl. "And Inuyasha let him live?"

"I didn't have a choice!" Inuyasha spat, crossing his arms as he paced angrily. "His dad runs a kingdom. Even though I could cut down every last one of his soldiers, it would still put the village in danger and I _don't_ like human blood on my hands."

"No one is upset that you didn't kill him, Inuyasha. It was the right thing to do," I tried consolingly, brushing my damp hair behind my ears.

"Yes," Miroku said, using his staff to pull himself to his feet. "Our main concern right now should be the dragon youkai you spoke to me of last night. I spoke with Lady Kaede, and she didn't have very encouraging information."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha immediately asked, snapping his head to face Miroku.

"Well," Miroku started, seemingly looking for a way to word things. "How much do you know about the dragon demons? You're father was the one who exiled them, ne?"

"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled. "That was before my time. The only thing I know about them is what Sesshomaru told me. They have repellant armor, very fast, and vicious."

"Well, unfortunately, there's more," Miroku said dishearteningly. Motioning for Inuyasha to sit down, Miroku followed suit and completed the circle of us sitting together. "According to Lady Kaede, everything you said is true, Inuyasha... And then some. Dragon youkai are known to kill and eat humans... But only males. The only time a dragon youkai takes interest in a female is when he wishes to bed her and make her his concubine. They only last as long as the youkai stays satisfied, then their spirits are absorbed into the dragon youkai. It's almost like a rush to them, and only makes them more virile. Most women don't make it more than five years. Majority never even make it a year."

I saw as Inuyasha glanced at me nervously before saying, "So they take women prisoner to use for their own twisted pleasure? He had Kagome in his grip! Why didn't he just take her then? He saw that she had the Jewel!"

"Kaede believes that may have been the reason he didn't take Kagome immediately," Miroku said lowly, fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe.

"Huh?"

That seemed to be the only reaction from the three of us.

"According to Kaede, dragon youkai see the Jewel of Four Souls as almost a taboo. While other demons pine for the ultimate power it can give, dragon youkai are almost as refined as the inu-youkai that rules the Western lands – your brother. They see the Jewel as a cheap trick for weak demons to grow stronger. Rather than pine for the power that the Jewel can provide, they detest it and believe in growing stronger through hard work and battle."

A rough silence followed Miroku's words, and for a moment we could only hear the wind rustling the trees as the sun began to disappear behind cloud cover.

"I don't know," Inuyasha said with an uneven tone. "It makes sense because he definitely showed an interest in Kagome, but he _did_ leave once he realized she had the Jewel."

"Well, maybe that means the youkai decided against having her," Sango chimed in. "If the Jewel is taboo to their culture, he may not want to risk bringing home the chosen protector of it. He might be shunned."

"I don't know..." I said uncertainly, looking down at my hands in my lap. "According to Inuyasha, his kind isn't supposed to leave the Southern lands. It seemed like he was rebelling. He might not care if it's taboo."

That statement seemed to put everyone into a thoughtful silence as thunder rumbled lowly off in the far distance. Pulling my knees to my chest and propping my chin on them, I wrapped my arms around my legs and whined, "If it's not one thing, it's another."

The others nodded in agreement, with the exception of Inuyasha. He almost looked physically pained.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's golden orbs locked with my gaze, and I knew.

As Inuyasha led me through the trees, my excitement grew. His hands covered my eyes so I wouldn't sneak a peek as we approached our destination, but I knew what was going on. Finally, Inuyasha brought me to a halt and removed his hands quickly.

"All finished!"

Though I had already seen most of the hut he had built me (if you could call it a hut – it was more of an actual house), I was still excited that it was finished.

Inuyasha hadn't been lying when he said there was a porch. It was actually one that wrapped all the way around, and the overhang was decorated beautifully with woven vines that were sprouting flowers. Leading me inside with the biggest smile on his face, he motioned to our left and said, "There's the cooking area. You know. Uh, a kitchen thing like you have in your time. Then this is the main area, which you saw the other night." Grabbing my gently with his clawed hands, he led me further into the hut, indicating to the first door. "That's your room." And to the second. "And that's just an extra room for you to do what you want with. Ya know, if you want pups someday... or... something..."

The redness on Inuyasha's face was too cute to ignore. Pouncing on the inu-youki, I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed tightly, pressing my face into his hakama. "Thank you, Inuyasha. It's amazing."

"Feh. I was bored."

I knew that was his automatic defense mechanism. But I also knew the truth. If he was so bored, he could have easily found a million more important things to do besides build such a lavish hut for me. Hell, he could have been helping Sango and Miroku finish their marital hut.

Not wasting any time, I jumped onto my plush pile of pillows as Inuyasha set to work building up the fire in the center of the living area. I could hear the pitter-patter of the rain beginning to come down. Most huts didn't come with porches, let alone ones that went all the way around the hut, so I relished the fact that I didn't have to close the shutters. The overhang on the porch did wonderfully, keeping the inside dry.

"So..." I began, unsure what was next. "Is it appropriate in this era for girls my age to even live alone?"

The fire finally started catch, so Inuyasha walked to me and sat down beside me, propping my feet in his lap. "Well, not technically. But I think there's a special exception for mikos. It's believed that by not courting and bedding a man, they maintain their purity so they can continue their duties for a long time."

That threw me for a loop. "Wait, what? What do you mean 'maintain their purity?'"

Absently stroking his thumb against my calf, he looked into the fire as he said, "It's well-known that once a miko loses her maidenhood, she loses her purity, which in turn would make her lose her abilities."

Anger suddenly flooded through me as I bellowed out, "What kind of bullshit is that? So I have to choose between keeping my powers or having a family?"

Gripping my hand lightly and catching my gaze, Inuyasha said lowly, "You already have family. You have Shippou, and Sango and Miroku... You have me. But I don't think that would be the case for you, anyway."

Quirking an eyebrow while tilting my head slightly, I asked, "What do you mean?"

Inuyasha looked slightly uncomfortable at my question, but he answered anyways, "Kikyo told me once that... that she believed the Shikon no Tama possessed such great... power, that its guardian could quite possibly retain her miko energy after losing her purity just so the Jewel could continue to be protected."

I felt my anger leave as he said those words, but the underlying name of the undead priestess had my hackles still raised slightly. "Did... Did she know for sure?"

Looking down at my hand in his, he said, "No. The theory never got tested as far as we know."

'_Oh great! Just flippin' great!_' I screamed at myself on the inside. What the hell kind of life was I meant to live? One where I fought forever, one where I never saw my friends again, or one where I give up my powers? That was like asking me to choose which leg I wanted broken.

Then I had a sudden thought.

"Ryuu said he liked miko's, right?"

"Unfortnately," Inuyasha growled, crossing his arms in irritation.

"Then what makes him want to keep them as concubines if they lose their powers after... well, you know?" I could feel my cheeks burning.

Inuyasha seemed to ponder on that for a long moment, staring almost absently into the fire. "He's gotta have a reason. And there's gotta be an answer to all these questions. I think... I think I need to go have a little chat with our new friend Ryuu just to see exactly what he wants."


End file.
